PENSIONERS will be forced to leave the residential facility some have called home for more than 20 years.

Oak Lodge, the residential care home in Runcorn, will close because it is too expensive to run.

More than 20 staff will lose their jobs. CLS, the charitable organisation which has 40 care homes in Halton, Cheshire, Warrington and Wigan, says the 13 long-stay residents remaining in the home will be offered alternative accommodation.

One 102-year-old has lived at the Richards Close home for more than 20 years and care staff fear she will be distressed by the move, which must take place before the end of August.

One staff member told the Weekly News: 'We are sad to be losing our jobs, but we have grown very attached to the residents over the years and many of us are worried sick about how they will cope with being forced to move.'

Managers blame the closure on Halton Borough Council's refusal to support the redevelopment and expansion of the charity's nearby home Croftwood.

Now, a 40-bed extension for intermediate care and services for people with dementia will no longer be built there.

Chief executive Nick Dykes said: 'We have chosen instead to invest in Cheshire and other areas where we can be more sure a market for our services will be supported.

'The knock on effect is Oak Lodge will close sooner than originally planned.'

A spokesman for Halton Borough Council said: 'In recent years, we have been looking at alternatives to long-term residential care. This is driven by the Government's wish for councils to help people live in the community, rather than in residential care whenever possible.

'CLS met with us to discuss their plans for the proposed 40-bed extension and we made it clear we couldn't financially support the proposed additional beds because of the number of current vacancies in the borough.'